Covid-19 Variant Omicron Inspires Jokes About R&B Singer Omarion

Omicron is basically getting "The Rona" treatment.

Another Covid-19 variant has been discovered recently but at least there's a joke associated with it that's helping people cope with its existence. A week ago, the Omicron variant first emerged in South Africa and has since been found in 20 other countries. According to White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, the variant hasn't yet to be found in the United States.

"It is very difficult to know whether or not this particular variant is going to result in severe disease," Fauci said Tuesday during a Covid-19 task force briefing. "Although some preliminary information from South Africa, suggests, no unusual symptoms associated with variant, we do not know and it is too early to tell."

As CNBC noted, the Omicron variant is concerning because there are mutations to the virus that scientists haven't seen before, adding: "It also makes scientists worry that it could evade vaccine protection or may be far more infectious than the already highly contagious delta variant that’s caused a surge in cases across globe in recent months."

Taking its name from the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet, the Omicron variant sounds scary just based on its name. However, just like how the coronavirus became the hilarious "The Rona," something similar has been done to the new variant. Black people on social media have taken to calling it the "Omarion" variant — a reference to the R&B singer Omarion — turning it into a much-needed joke as we not only continue to deal with the initial covid-19 that started it all, but the handful of other "variants of concern" that have popped up, too.

Omarion himself has yet to respond to the joke, but he'll presumably be surprised that a connection to the latest Covid-19 variant is the reason why people are bringing up his name.